PuErh Storage

Sheng PuErh can be kept for more than hundred years whereas Shu PuErh is deemed to be at it best between ten and twenty years old depending on quality. These can be kept longer but experts feel that most teas doesn't continue to improve after this time. As a rule of thumb the higher the quality of either type, the longer it can be kept. The easiest PuErh teas to source are usually those that are between one and five years old.

PuErh tea is stored very differently from green tea such as Long Jing and light QingXiang Oolong which should be kept in air tight containers and ideally in low temperatures. PuEr tea should be stored in a stable environment that is not subject to sudden changes. Ideally dark, warm/frost free and in an environment where there is a natural, seasonal changes in humidity that encourages the enzymes that produce the secondary fermentation, and so the ageing of the tea. It said that places located round the Tropic of Capricorn, such as Singapore, Hong Kong & other Southern Chinese provinces are the best.

Although it is beneficial for PuErh tea to be exposed to humidity, this should not be for extended periods of time i.e. years. This will cause the tea to spoil and potential become mouldy. By providing an environment where there four natural seasons the tea has a chance to age during the moister summer seasons, then rest and dry during the winter. On the other hand, too drier conditions will mean the tea dries too slowly and will take considerably longer to mature.

Storing and Keeping your Puerh cake

How to
store your Puerh cake

The beauty
and magic of Puerhs is that they are 'living teas' that continue to develop and
'mature' with age. Depending on the
storage conditions and the type of Puerh (for example, Raw or Ripe), they possess life spans up to, and exceeding,
twenty years. Once pressed into their
finished compact form, be it disc, golden ingot, or brick, the flattened leaves
are exposed to vapours in the surrounding atmosphere, and an unceasing series
of chemical exchanges occurs, a process often understood as fermentation or
ripening.

You will find that different producers will offer tea cakes pressed with varying densities. Some prefer looser pressings, whilst others tend toward almost granite like pressings. Lighter pressings are often seen to age more quickly, whereas tight pressings age more slowly and some say that these also preserve more of the aromatic oils that give puer teas their special aromas.

Serious Puerh collectors in China design
purpose-built cellars or storage spaces for their own collection, although,
unless you are planing on assembling your own, it's not always convenient to do
so. For this reason, how to store and
maintain the quality of your Puerhs after purchase is an important part of
understanding Puerh teas.

Below are
several aspects of storage that will help you find a suitable place to store
your Puerh:

HUMIDITY Dampness
is damaging, so any spaces with excessive humidity, such as bath, or wash rooms
shouldn't be in close proximity to your Puerhs.Ideal levels of humidity for storing Puerh tea is between 70-80%.

TEMPERATURE High temperatures will accelerate the
ageing process and potentially impair the tasting quality of stored
Puerhs. Temperatures shouldn't fluctuate
too much, with a range of 20-30 degrees Celsius considered ideal.

LIGHT Stored
Puerhs should avoid direct contact with sunlight, as well they shouldn't be
placed in gloomy, damp-promoting parts of the house.

SMOKE Puerhs
should be stored away from kitchens, dining rooms, or any area where smoke from
oil or smoke from other materials may enter the atmosphere.

AROMAS They
should also be stored away from bedrooms where the presence of cosmetics or
perfumes will also release aromatic vapours harmful to the health of the your
Puerh.

CUPBOARDS Avoid
enclosing Puerhs in wardrobes, cupboards or drawers, where the presence of wood
or glue may, overtime, penetrate the ageing leaves.

BREATHABLE.The quality of
the storing environment determines effect
of ongoing fermentation or ripening, so it is important to select an
appropriate materials or containers to store your Puerhs.

Unlike other teas, they should not be sealed
in vacuum-packed bags. Puerhs need to
breathe; that is have a steady supply of fresh air, albeit, a limited one. As such it is important that
they are packaged in breathable or semi-permeable materials. A popular solution wrapping in clean, acid-free paper and packed into
good-quality, odour-free cardboard boxes. Some people may also use a plastic seally bag to reduce moisture loss. You can experiment with this either over the paper wrap or alternatively over the out cardboard box.

Sources
Consulted:

Conversation
with Wang Man Yuan, President of World Puer Tea Association